SBI Holdings and Startale launch the yen stablecoin JPYSC, planned to go live in the second quarter

Japan's financial group SBI Holdings and Startale Group announced the launch of the yen stablecoin JPYSC, aimed at institutional and cross-border payment scenarios.

The stablecoin is issued and managed in trust by SBI Shinsei Trust Bank, complying with Japan's digital asset regulatory framework. SBI's trading platform, SBI VC Trade, will serve as the main distribution channel, while Startale is responsible for technical development. Both parties stated that the trust bank support model helps enhance governance and compliance assurance, promotes the use of the yen in the digital financial system, and provides a compliant alternative to the currently dollar-dominated stablecoin market. The project is expected to go live in the second quarter of this year after obtaining regulatory approval. In recent years, Japan has been actively advancing the construction of a stablecoin system. The revision of the Payment Services Act in 2022 defined fiat-backed stablecoins as "electronic payment instruments"; last October, Japan approved the issuance of the yen stablecoin JPYC. The three major banks MUFG, SMBC, and Mizuho have also launched pilot projects for stablecoins and tokenized deposits.